1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound data storing device wherein sound is reproduced based on digitized sound data stored therein and which is portable and especially suitable for language speaking practice, musical training or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cassette tape recorders have been used as the above-mentioned portable sound data storing device suitable for the language speaking practice, musical training or the like. In the cassette tape recorders, for example, analog human speech signals are magnetically recorded on a magnetic tape taken up in a case. Speech signals are read out by running the magnetic tape with the tape coming into contact with a magnetic head, thereby reproducing speech. The cassette tape recorder is useful in continuously reproducing the speech or sound data groups recorded throughout the tape. However, when a part of the speech groups is reproduced or when reproduction of a particular speech group is repeated, a user or learner is forced into the troublesome operations of quickly running the tape forward and backward to thereby search the part desired to be reproduced. In view of the above-described difficulties, the prior art has provided for an improved sound data storing device for the language speaking practice, especially. Such an improved language speaking trainer comprises a plurality of magnetic cards in each of which analog speech data corresponding to one sentence is magnetically recorded, and a reproduction control unit to which any one of the magnetic cards is selectively attached. In the reproduction control unit, the magnetic card is moved to come into contact with a magnetic head, which reads out the speech data recorded on the magnetic card. The speech data read out by the magnetic head is transferred to an internal storage means. The reproduction control unit is designed so as to reiteratively output the reproduced speech corresponding to the speech data stored at the internal storage means.
The above-described improved language speaking trainer reduces the need for the troublesome operation of searching the head portion of the speech data, which operation being required in the tape recorder in the case of repeating the reproduction of the same speech. However, since the magnetic card can only record a speech data corresponding to a relatively short sentence per card owing to its small recording capacity, a plurality of magnetic cards need to be carried for the purpose of practicing a conversation situation in which a plurality of sentences are required. Accordingly, practical use of the prior art language speaking trainer results in much inconvenience. Furthermore, the magnetic cards need to be frequently exchanged and transmission of the speech data from the magnetic card to the internal storage means requires much time. These disadvantages also result in inconvenience. Furthermore, since the magnetic card is fed against the magnetic head when the speech data is transmitted from the card to the internal storage means, the prior art language speaking trainer requires a card feeding mechanism comprising movable members such as a motor and flywheel and the magnetic head, which mechanism complicates construction of the device and results in an increase in the occurrence of failures. The prior art language speaking trainer thus has a problem of reliability on the life. Furthermore, since the card feeding mechanism requires a relatively large amount electrical power, the prior art trainer is not desirable in the continuous use when storage batteries are employed as the power source. The use of a storage battery having a large capacity increases the net weight of the trainer results in a problem of portability of the same. Since the card feeding mechanism is relatively heavy, the problem of portability becomes more acute, particularly. Moreover, since the magnetic card is likely to be influenced by magnetic fields, the user is required to take care of the magnetic card so that it is kept away from a magnet. The magnetic card is thus not desirable on the point of so-called fool-proofing.